Method of making beams



sept. 12, 1939.

A. A. PROBECK 2,172,806

METHOD OF MAKING BEANS Filed June 14, 1938 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. l2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD 0F MAKING BEAMS Application June 14, 1938, Serial No. 213,615

13 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to metal beams and the like and to methods for making them. f The well known method of making metal beams, such for example, as I-section and T- section beams, is to hot roll the beams from ingots between suitably formed mill rolls.

There is, however, a practical limit to the sectional shape and dimension of beams made by this method, that is to say, a beam having a. given thickness of web or flange cannot be made by ,rolling if the web depth or flange width is greater than a certain maximum. 'I'here are, however, many uses for beams having webs nd flanges of greater depth and width in pro tion to the thickness thereof than is possible by rolling, and it is the primary object of this imention to provide such a beam and the method of making it.

Another object is to provide a beam which can be fabricated from pieces of pre-rolled sheets yof metal welded together anda method for making such a beam.

Another object is to p1 vide generally an improved metal beam and a method of making it.

Other objects willV be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains,

My invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which.;

Fig.\.1 is a side elevational view of a fragment of an I-section beam made according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken fromthe plane 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in some respects diagrammatic illustrating a part of the method of making the beams of Figs. 1 and 2, and illustrating also the method of making a beam of T-section;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating another step which may optionally be employed in making an I-beam, such as shown in Figs, 1 and 2, or .a T-section beam;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the construction of a beam flange, which may be utilized in beams made according to my invention,

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 5 illustrating modifications;

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating another construclower edges 2 2 and of the length of the desired finished beam.

At 3 3 are the beam flanges and these are formed preferably by rolling or bending operations from a strip of sheet metal, such, for example, as steel, having substantially parallel opposite edges. The opposite edge portions of the sheet are rolled or bent into overlapping relation to the intermediate portion of the sheet providing rounded edges as at 4 and 5, and the edge portions are rolled or bent upwardly as at 6 and l to provide substantially parallel spacedapart, longitudinally extending wings 8 and 9, providing a groove Ill therebetween which is made substantially the same thickness as the web I,

The flange thus made is of twice the thickness of the sheet metal from which it isformed. 'I'he edges 2 2 of the web I are then inserted into grooves Ill-IIJ of two such flanges 3 3 and the web and wings 8 and 9 are welded together;

This welding operation is preferably performed as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3. Electrodes II and I2 of the disc or wheel type, rotating with or4 on shafts I3 and I4 respectively, are moved into pressure engagement with the wings 8 and 9 on the opposite outer sides thereof, and electric current is caused to flow from one electrode to the other through the wings 8 and 9 and through the web I, effecting welds, as indicated at I5 and I6, in Figs. 1 and 2, 'the welds integrally joining the wings 8 and 9 to opposite faces of the web I.

Preferably the wings 8 and 9 and the web I are fed continuously through and between the electrodes I I and I2 so that the welds I5 and I6 are continuous linear welds, as shown for the weld I5 in Fig. 1, throughout the length of the beam, although in some cases successive welds of limited length, of the nature of spot-welding, may be utilized, for example, by periodically interrupting the flow of current, while the parts are being continuously fed through the electrodes.

In some cases, particularly when the metal of the flanges 3 3 is relatively thin and the overall width of the flange is relatively great, it may be desired to weld together the inner and outer overlapping portions Il and I8 of the flange and this may be accomplished as is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4. Upper wheel or disc type electrodes I9 and 20 engage the upper layer I1 of the ange and other similar electrodes 2| and 22 engage the under side thereof opposite the electrodes I9 and 20 and the flange is preferably fed continuously through the electrodes while in pressureengagement therebetween and electn'c current is caused to flow from the `elecey Vtaneously,as illustrated in Figs. 4, or they may be made one at a time, if preferred.

In some cases it may be desirableto first Weld the flanges to the web by the welds I5 and I6 before making the welds 23 and 24, and in other cases, it may be desirable to first weld the flanges integrally together by the weld 23 and 24, as shown for the completed ange in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 6 -is shown a modifled form of flange. Two angle section pieces of metal 2S and 2'I are superimposed upon a fiat strip of metal 25, and welded thereto at 28,. 29, 30 and 3l. The upstanding legs or wings 8 and 9 of the angle section pieces, are vspaced apart and provide the groove I0 for receiving the web l.

vWhen this form of ange is used, it may rst be made complete as shown in Fig. 6, and the web I welded thereto; or the angle section pieces 26 and 2 may be iirst Welded to the web i, as described above, then the strip 25 may be welded to the angle section. ln either case, the methodsv shown in Figs. t and 4 may be employed.

In Fig. '7 is shown another form of ilange which in some cases may be employed. This flange is a rolled flange, hot rolled from a single piece of metal and comprising a ange proper 32 and upstanding wings 33 and 34 having therebetween a groove 35 corresponding to the thickness of the web l, and the wings 33 and, 34 may be welded to the web l, as described above.

in Fig. t is shown a modication similar to that of Fig. 6. Here the outer strip (25 of Fig. 6) is omitted and two pieces, Stand 3l of angle section have two of the legs 38 and 3Q thereof welded to opposite sides of the web i by welds corresponding to the welds i5 and IS of Fig. 2.

The I-beam of Figs. 1 and 2 has two nanges 3 3, one on each end of the web l, and it will be understood that a T-beam may be made simply by omitting one of the flanges 3, and the beams of Figs. 6, 'Z and 8 may similarly employ one or two flanges.

I have illustrated the welding apparatus parts of Figs. 3 and 4 in simplified diagrammatic views,

for inasmuch as welding machines and general welding methods employing roll type electrodes throughv which work to be welded may be continuously fed under pressure are well known.

From the foregoing yit will appear that my invention in its broadest aspects contemplates making a beam by forming a flange with a deep groove therein, and seating the edge portion of a web in the groove and welding it thereto, but in the preferred practice of my invention, the flange and the groove therein will be formed by bending or rolling operationsfrom relatively thin sheet metal.

' My invention is not limited to the exact details construction illustrated and described. Changes and modiications may be made within the spirit of my invention without sacrificing its advantages and Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l

1. The method of making a metal beam which includes making a metal beam web in the form of an elongated strip of metal having opposite edge portiom, making a unitary metal beam ifiange comprising laterally opposite integrally connected longitudinally extending flange portions, with a 'longitudinally extending wing on each flange portion, providing a longitudinally extending aperture between the wings, inserting an edge portion of the web into the aperture, and simultaneously welding the web edge portion and both Wings together by electric current passed therethrough.

2. The method of making a metal beam which includes making a metal beam web in the form of an elongated strip of metal having opposite edge portions, making a unitary metal beam .flange comprising laterally opposite integrally connected longitudinally extending flange portions, with a longitudinally extending wing on each flange portion, and unite the wings spaced apart to provide a longitudinally extending aperture between the wings, inserting an edge portion of the web into the aperture to dispose opposite faces of the sheet metal edge portion adjacent to'- and between the wings, and welding the web edge portion to the Wings on longitudinally extending portions between the web edge portion faces and the wings.

3. The method of making a beam which includes forming an elongated sheet metal. web' having longitudinally extending edge portions, forming an elongated unitary sheet metal flange comprising laterally opposite integrally connected flange portions and an inwardly open groove extending longitudinally therealong, seating an edge portionof the web in the groove and weldtween the wings having substantially parallel side walls, inserting the edge portion of the web into the groove with opposite faces of the edge portion of the web substantially engaging the side walls of the groove and welding the faces of the web edge portion to the side walls of the groove.

5. The method of making a beam which includes forming an elongated sheet metal web having a longitudinally extending substantially ilat edge portion, forming a unitary elongated sheet metal ilange comprising two superimposed layers of sheet metal and a pair of longitudinally extending wings, with the wings spaced apart to provide a longitudinally extending groove between the wings, inserting the edge portion of the web into the groove, welding the opposite faces of the sheet metal webto the opposite walls of tho groove and welding together the two layers of the ange on longitudinally extending portions.

6. The method making a beam comprising a web and a flange which includes forming two opopposite angle legs and welding it to the legs on intermediate portions of the legs.

'7. The method of making a beam which includes forming' an elongated sheet metal web having a longitudinally extending edge portion, forming an elongated unitary sheet metal flange surgeon' comprising integrally lconnected, laterally opposite, longitudinally extending flange Portions and longitudinally extending wings integrally connectedwith theiiange,andwiththewingsspaced apart to provide a longitudinally extending groove between the wings and the grooves having confronting side walls, inserting the edge portion of the web into the groove with opposite faces of the edge portion of the web substantially engaging the side walls of the groove, and welding the faces of the web .edge portion to the side walls of the groove.

8. The method of making a beam comprising a web and a iiange vwhich includes forming two metal ilange portions from sheet metal of angle section, making a common iiange element in the form of an elongated strip oi' sheet metal, welding a leg of each of the i'lange portions to the common element with the legs disposed in spaced apart relation to provide a groove therebetween, making a beam web of a strip of sheet metal, disposing an edge portion of the web between said other leg and welding it to the said -other legs on intermediate vportions thereof.

9. The methodof making a beam which includes making a beam web in the form of an elongatedxstrip of sheet metal having opposite edge portions, making ametal flange by making an elongated strip of sheet metal and folding opposite edge portions of the metal inwardly along longitudinal lines on the-same side of an intermef diate portion of the strip and bending the edge portions upwardly to provide longitudinally excommon fiangeeiement in the form of an elongated strip of sheet metahsuperimping als of each angle flange portion upon the common iiange element and welding the legs thereto with the other legs disposed in mutually spaced relation by electric current passed through the common element and said superimposed legs on longitudinally extending portions thereof.

ll. The method of making a beam flange which includes forming an elongated strip of. sheet metal, folding opposite edge portions of the strip inwardly alongj longitudinal lines and over the same side of the intermediate portion of the strip to form double thickness oppositely extending ilange portions and bending the edges orf the strip upwardly to provide spaced apart wings and welding together the double thickness portions.

12. The method of making a beam which includes making a beam web -in the form of an elongated strip of sheet metal having opposite edge portions, making a metalnange by making an elongated strip of sheet metal and folding opposite edge portions of the metal inwardly along longitudinal lines on the same. side of an intermediate portion of the strip and bending the edge portions upwardly to provide longitudinally extending opposite double thickness ange portions and longitudinally extending wings spaced apart, roll welding the double thickness metal together on continuous longitudinally extending portions thereof, disposing an edge portion of the web between the wings and roll welding the edge portion to both wings simultaneously on continuous longitudinally extending portions thereof.

13. The method ofmakinga beam flange which includes forming an elongated strip of sheet metal, folding opposite edge portions' of the strip inwardly along longitudinal lines and over the same side of the intermediate portion of the strip to form double thickness oppositely extendarmarios. 

